The word solstice derives from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still, to stop). At the solstices, the seasonal movement of the Sun's path (as seen from the perspective of Earth) comes to a stop before reversing direction. Winter solstice means the Sun stands still in winter.

In this one-day retreat from the busy business of the winter holiday season, we will stop, and come together to practice stillness in the traditions of Zen Buddhism and Yoga. In the warm enclosure of our retreat room, we will sit zazen, practice yoga asana and pranayama, reflect on the year that has been and our intention for the year to come, and end our day together by taking a quiet walk in the Green Gulch winter garden to watch the setting sun.

All levels of practitioners are welcome.

Fees: $90; $81 current SFZC members; $72 limited income.

A delicious organic vegetarian lunch in the Green Gulch dining room is included.

Shokuchi Deirdre CarriganShokuchi Deirdre Carrigan is an ordained Soto Zen priest in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, founder of San Francisco Zen Center, and has been teaching yoga since 1989. She met her teachers, Zen Master Tenshin Reb Anderson and Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher Donald Moyer, in a Zen and yoga retreat at Green Gulch Farm 30 years ago and has been practicing both Zen meditation and yoga in the Iyengar tradition since that time. For the last seven years, she has been living at Green Gulch Farm and has been co-leading Zen and yoga retreats at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center since 2001.